Capitol Insiders

Lawmakers and budget officials have been estimating the deficit of the upcoming fiscal year at about $3 billion, even though the economy has continued a treacherous slide and state revenues have eroded at an alarming pace.

The Citizens Clean Elections Commission voted this morning to remove Rep. Doug Quelland from the Legislature for violating campaign spending rules. The Phoenix Republican was also fined $45,000.
The commission voted 4-1 to kick Quelland out of office for spending more than he was allowed to under Clean Elections rules. The commission determined Quelland had hired a political consultant but did not report the expenditures on his campaign finance reports.

Gov. Jan Brewer on May 14 signed two bills to adjust the fiscal 2009 budget with a combination of federal stimulus money, delayed payments to K-12 schools and universities, and excess funds saved in recent years by school districts.

Some lawmakers and school-choice advocates are making a strong push for Gov. Jan Brewer to call a special session to allow lawmakers a chance to resurrect a school-voucher program that was deemed unconstitutional by the state's highest court.

The use of federal stimulus dollars to help balance the budget may help keep Arizona's public schools afloat through the end of the fiscal year, but Gov. Jan Brewer believes it underscores the need for the controversial tax hike she is proposing.

Medical marijuana advocates have filed notice with the Arizona Secretary of State that they intend to gather signatures in an effort to place an initiative on the 2010 ballot to ask voters to legalize smoking pot by patients who get a recommendation from a doctor.

Just two days before the National Rifle Association's annual convention in Phoenix, the state House of Representatives gave its approval to a measure that would allow gun owners to keep weapons in their cars, even if it is against a private property owner's wishes.

President Barack Obama used his commencement speech at Arizona State University May 13 to highlight the role universities play in preparing students for success. He commended ASU for its efforts to open its doors to low-income applicants and echoed a speech he made before a joint session of Congress early in his presidency that called for every U.S. student to attend college.

The Senate and the House approved a plan on May 13 that suspends a payment of $300 million to school districts until the next fiscal year and instead allows them to tap into their excess cash balances to cover ongoing expenses.
The plan is part of a two-bill package aimed at solving a $650-million budget deficit in fiscal 2009.

A conglomerate of Arizona farmers will get their day in court May 18 as a Maricopa County Superior Court judge will hear arguments on the legality of the Legislature's 2008 fund sweep of money meant to advance agriculture interests.